Metallic railway-tie.



No. 743,330. PATENTED NOV. 3, 1903.

01L. RENN.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 15, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

- UNITED STATES- Iatented November 3, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

M ETALL IC RAI LWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,330, dated November 3, 1903.

Application filed December 15,1902. Serial No. 135,309. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that 1, CHARLES L. RENN, a citison of the United States, residing at Feaga ville, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Railway-Tics; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in= vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

My invention relates to metallic railwayties 5 and it consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will belhereinafter described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a metallic railway-tie constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of the tie, with one rail in position upon the same and showing in dotted lines a portion of the locking means for the block in a raised position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 2 and showing more particularly the means for excluding dirt; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view in section of the end of the tie, showing one of the means for holding the block in position. I

The object of my invention is the production of-ametallic railway-tie which will be practical in its operation and which can be produced at comparatively slight expense and which will be free from the objections heretofore raised to theuse of such ties by reason of the rails coming directly in contact with the metal of the tie, my construction overcoming said objection by having the rails rest upon a wooden block or other substance other than metal, byreason of which arrangement a cushioning effect will be secured for the rails.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means for preventing the rails coming in contact with the metal of the tie by so constructing and arranging'the parts that when one side of the cushioning-block wears down it can be turned so as to present another face to the bottom of the rails, whereby the rails will be elevated above and be kept away from and out of contact with any part of the metal of the tie.

Another object of my invention is the provision for the ready insertion and removal of the cushioning-block and means for holding the same in position when the railsare in position upon the same.

Other objects of my invention will be disclosed in the description of the invenvion.

1 in the drawings represents the main body portion of my improved. metallic railway tie,

which is made substantially in the form of a ,box, having a bottom 2 andvertical sides or walls 3 and horizontal covers or lids at 4, all the parts being preferably cast as an integral The bottom 2 of the tie is provided with auaperture 5, which may be in the form of a longitudinal slot or in the form of a series of spaced apertures, and this slot is designed to permit the water to drain off from the tie and also toserve as a means of securing the tie to bridges or other structures. The bottom 2 and the side walls 3 and the ends form a housing for a cushioning-block 6, which latter is preferably rectangular in form and made of a size and length to fit in the aperture formed by the bottom and side walls and when in position occupies a space near the end of the tie. Two of such cushioning-blocks, one near each end, areprovided in each tie. These cushioningblocks are preferably made of hard wood and form an important part of my invention. By the use of the same the rails are prevented from coming into direct contact with the metalwork of the tie. This construction relieves the cars from severe jolting and strain andalso adds to the life and efficiency of the tie. These cushioning-blocks are preferably made rectangular in cross-section, so thatas they wear down they can be'turned over and another face presented to which the rails can be secured. In order to allow for the wearing down of the blocks and to prevent the rails from coming in direct contact with the metal-work of the tie, the main body portion of the tie is cut away, as at 7 7, as shown in the drawings.

In order to prevent dirt and other foreign substances, such as sand and ashes, from getting into the interiorof the tie, I provide extensions or bosses 8 on the outside of the tie, which are provided with vertical guidepins 9, surrounded by coiled springs 10. Upper movable sections 11 are provided with dowels 12 to receive the pins 9, so as to have an easy up-and-down spring movement thereon. The springs 10 will hold the upper section 11 in close contact with the under side or base of the rail, so as to prevent any debris or other foreign substances from entering into theinterior of the tie. As the cushion-blocks 6 wear down the rails will force the movable section 11 down correspondingly, so that dirt will always be excluded.

In ordertohold thecushioning-blockssteady within the tie and prevent their having 1ongitudinal movement, and also to permit of their ready insertion and removal when desired, the horizontal covers or lids 4 are provided, which operate in conjunction With the screw-operated follower 13. When the cushioning-blocks are in position, the lids 4 4 are down, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and the follower 13 is advanced forward, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The lids or covers 4 are hinged to the main body portion of the tie in any suitable manner, as at 14, and each is provided with a downward extension 15, which latter are suitably braced, as at 16. This extension 15 is slightly inclined downwardly and is formed with projections or'teeth 17, which are so constructed that they will readily pass the ends of the cushioning-block 6 as the lids or covers are being lowered, but which when the follower 13 has been moved forward to clamp the cushioning-block 6 will cause the teeth to impinge against the ends of said cushioningblocks and prevent the covers from being lifted. When .it is desired to remove the blocks for any purpose, the screw-actuated follower 13, which is formed with a screw 18, having a head 19, is rotated so as to cause the follower or head 13 to recede away from the block, the threads of the screw engaging a threaded aperture 20 in the end of the tie. When it is desired to clamp the cushioningblocks in position between the follower-head 13 and the extension 15 on the lid 4, it will be necessary to turn the screw 18 in the proper direction for that purpose. By this construc: tion and arrangement the block is held socurely in position and can be readily removed and inserted whenever desired.

In order to facilitate the screwing of the follower-head 13 on the screw 18, I providea pin 21, which is driven laterally through the follower-head until its lower end rests in a groove 22 provided in the outer end of the screw. By this construction and arrangement the rotation of the screw is not interfered with, and at the same time the followerhead is secured in position on the threaded shank and can be readily removed by drawing upon the pin 21. This construction or one analogous thereto is rendered necessary,

owing to the fact that the body portion of the tie is a solid casting and the follower-head has to be secured in position from the inside of the tie.

It is obvious that the cushioning-blocks can be made of any length desired, so as to accommodate more than one track, which will be found necessary where two or more tracks come together or where a switch or frog is inserted.

In securing the rails to the tie it will be observed that no holes have to be drilled in the metal portion of the tie for that purpose and that the securing-spikes are driven into the cushioning-blocks, which carries out my idea of preventing the rail from coming into direct contact with the metal-work of the tie.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A railway-tie comprising a hollow body portion, cushioning-blocks mounted in said body portion for receiving a rail, movable means within the railway-tie designed to engage said blocks, and movable locking means also designed to engage said blocks for retaining the same in position.

2. A railway-tie, comprising a hollow body portion having lateral openings near the top for receiving a rail, a block mounted in the tie for supporting the rail out of contact with the body portion, and means carried by the ther preventing the rail from engaging the body portion of the tie, substantially as described.

. 3. A railway-tie comprising a hollow, metallic body portion, wooden cushioning-blocks located within said hollow portion, and within the tie for locking the said cushioning-blocks in position against movement, substantially as described.

4. A railway-tie comprising a hollow, metallic bod y portion, wooden cushioning-blocks located within said hollow portion, and means for locking the said cushioning-blocks in positionfagainst movement, said locking means consisting of an end portion sliding Within the hollow tie and a screw-actuated plunger or follower, substantially as described.

5. A railway-tie, comprising a hollow body portion, having closed ends, cushioningblocks inserted within the hollow portion, and means sliding within the closed ends for clamping said blocks in position, substantially as described.

6. A railway-tie comprising a suitable hollow body portion formed with cut-0ut portions in its vertical walls, cushioning-blocks secured within the body portion in line with the cut-out portions, and dirt-excluding means adjacent to the cut-out portions, the latter comprising a spring-actuated vertically-moving portion, which bears upon the under side of the rail when the latter is in position on the tie, substantially as described.

Anal n 7. A railway-tie, comprising a hollow body portion, cushioning-blocks inserted withinthe same for receiving the ties, hinged retaining means for holding said blocks in posubstantially as described.

9. The combination in a railway-tie of a main body portion constructed of metal, cushioning-blocks secured in position on said body portion in such manner as to prevent the rails when resting on said blocks from commg in contact with the metal of the tie, and adjustable means for gripping the cushioning-blocks and holding them in position, substantially as described.

'10. The combination in a railway-tie of a main body portion constructed of metal made in the form of a box, cushioning-blocks secured in position onsaid body portionin such manner as to prevent the rails when resting on said blocks from coming in direct contact with the metal of the tie, lids pivoted to said main body portion and engaging the ends of the cushioning-blocks, and auxiliarymeans for forcing the blocks forward and holding them in such adjusted position, substantially as described.

11. The combination in a railway-tie of a main body portion constructed of metal and made in the form of a box, cushioning-blocks secured in position on said main body portion in such manner as to prevent .the rails when resting on said blocks from coming in direct contact with the metal of the tie, means for locking the cushioning-blocks in position, and springactuated means having bearing contact with the under side of the rails for preventing dirt entering the interior of the tie, substantially as described.

12. The combination in a railway-tie of a main body portion constructed of metal and made in the form of a box and provided with apertures in its bottom for the discharge of water said means also serving as a means for securing the tie to a superstructure, lids or covers pivoted to the tie for permitting access to the interior of the same, and means for securing a rail in position on the tie, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES L. RENN.

Witnesses:

EDWARD T. FENwIcK, JOHN L. FLETCHER. 

